With celebrities always being in the news - it is great to hear of those who have won the battle against cancer. As a patient, being surrounded by the 'cancer environment' - we sometimes forget those who succeeded, and need reminding that cancer CAN be beaten.

Prostate cancer: Nelson Mandela and Robert de Niro
Throat cancer: Rod Steward
Skin cancer: Cybill Shepherd and Elizabeth Taylor
Testicular cancer: Lance Armstrong, Richard Belzer
Lymphoma: Gene Wilder
Colon cancer: Sharon Osbourne
Breast cancer: Kylie Minogue, Marianne Faithfull, Lynn Redgrave, Sheryl Crow, Melissa Etheridge, Kate Jackson, Olivia Newton-John, Anastacia and Marianne Faithfull
Uterine cancer: Fran Drescher

These are but a few names of celebrity cancer survivors. Some, like Patrick Swayze, Farrah Fawcett and Christina Applegate, are still fighting - but doing well!! Although one might imagine that with their incomes, they can afford the best-of-the-best treatments, bare in mind that they are also continuously subjected to a stress that others aren't - namely fame. Their battles are never private - forever published, speculated about, photographed and for the whole world to see. They surely must be the proud owners of another special characteristic - positive attitude.

Yes, some cancer cases are, sadly, too hard to battle, especially when diagnosed too late. But we all should be aware of the fact that your mind is an utterly powerful tool. To keep these celebrities who WON the battle in mind, is yet another little fact one should keep reminding ourselves of. Get yourself a 'cancer idol', and strive to fight like them.

Having cancer is not a walk-in-the-park. Not even for celebrities. We are all human, with human hopes and fears. But believing that you are receiving the best treatment, believing that you are powerful, nourishing your body and lifting your spirit - you are sure to have a first class recipe! Together with a support group, loving friends/family and the blessing of yet another day - write your name up on the survivor's list today. See it, and believe it!